Shoes of molded materials



Aug. 9, 1955 A. E. MURRAY SHOES OF MOLDED MATERIALS Original Filed Jan. 8, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR fllan E. Marl Aug. 9, 1955 A. E. MURRAY 2,714,770

SHOES OF MOLDED MATERIALS Original Filed Jan. 8, 1949 2 SheetsSheet 2 INVENTOR Alan E. Murray ATTOR I United States Patent" 0 SHOES OF MOLDED MATERIALS Alan E. Murray, New York, N. Y.

Original application January 8, 1949, Serial No. 69,887, now Patent No. 2,606,333, dated August 12, 1952. Divided and this application April 26, 1952, Serial No. 284,579

2 Claims. (Cl. 36-85) My invention relates particularly to an improved type of shoe or other footwear.

The object of my invention is to provide shoes made of inolded materials of such a character that they are capable of being made advantageously and.even by the wearer thereof. shoe made of simple fabrics and molding materials, which may be produced at a very low cost, for adoption by the public generally and which conform to the foot contours of the individual wearer thereof, both as to the upper and lower portions of the shoe. A further object is to provide such a shoe, made of molded materials, which avoids the effects of shrinkage and which thus conforms to and retains the longitudinal and transverse dimensions of the foot.

This application is a division of my copending application Ser. No. 69,887, upon Method of Making Shoes, filed January 8, 1949, Patent No. 2,606,333, granted August 12, 1952, and which is an improvement upon the subject matter of my application upon Shoes for Normal Wear, Ser. No. 58,470, filed November 5, l

1948, Patent No. 2,668304, granted February l2, 1954.

While my invention is capable of embodiment in many different forms, for the purpose of illustration I have shown only certain forms thereof in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a monitor sheet of material to be cut out to conform to the outline of the foot of the wearer, it being understood that one of these sheets is provided for each of the feet of the wearer;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the weight-bearing dish;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the weight-bearing dish;

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the shoe, partly in section;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the cover piece used;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the resulting shoe;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation thereof; and

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 3, enlarged so as to show latex that has been applied between the layers.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a monitor sheet, as of cardboard, 1, or any other similar material, that is preferably a non-shrinking materail, such for instance as leather, on which an outline 2 is made with a pencil around each particular foot of the wearer, by resting the foot on the cardboard 1 and while, prefer ably, the wearer is seated in a chair so that the foot rec'eives only the usual normal weight of the leg in the sitting position. The outline 2 is made with a pencil around the foot by drawing a line vertically, or nearly vertical- 19, below or just outside the outermost perimeter or width of the foot. The cardboard 1 is then cut out to provide, as a monitor, a foot-shaped top sole piece of cardboard 3 along the outline 2. The cardboard piece 3 is then brushed with any desired adhesive, but preferably a thick neoprene latex. In this connection, I prefer a self-vulcanizing latex or self-vulcanizing synthetic rubber substitute, as for instance neoprene, which A further object is to provide such a I 2,714,776 Patented Aug. 9, 1955 2. latex is in the form of liquid, that is to say a water sus-. pension of the rubber or rubber substitute prepared. so as to be self-vulcanizing when allowed to set. Also, I prefer two different strengths or consistencies of the said liquid latex, which I may denominate for the pur pose herein as #lthin latex having the consistency of thick milk; #2-thick latex having the consistency of of a very heavy cream. These are both well known commercially available liquids known as neoprene latex, and which will, for convenience, be referred to hereinafter merely as latex. I

Thereupon, I provide a first piece 4 or layer of cloth or any other desired fabric, although for this purpose I prefer monks cloth, which is a thick loosely Woven fabric. It will be understood, however, that in this application I may use practically any kind of cloth or fabric, preferably woven, for the shoe, although, as before stated, monks cloth is preferred for most of the pieces of cloth, except the second piece made of burlap and the eighth piece and sole layers made of terry cloth, a well known material having looped pile, as hereinafter referred to.

The first piece of monks cloth 4 is then dusted with plaster of Paris and it is then applied over the top of the stiff monitor foot-shaped top sole piece of cardboard 3 having the thick latex thereon. This first piece of monks cloth 4 is then cut off closely around the entire edge of the cardboard piece 3.

A second piece of cloth 5, preferably of burlap, is then dusted with plaster of Paris and after the upper surface of the first piece 4 has been coated with the thick latex the said piece of burlap is applied to theup per surface of said first piece 4. The burlap layer 5 is then cut off closely around the entire margin of the cardboard piece 3.

Thereupon, a third piece of cloth 6, preferably of monks cloth, is powdered with plaster of Paris, the upper surface of the second piece 5' is coated with the thick latex and the third piece 6 is then applied over the burlap S. This third piece 6 is also trimmed off closely around the entire edge of the cardboard 3.

I then prepare a fourth piece of monks cloth 7 having a wide margin of about 1 to 1 /2" extending around the entire edge of the cardboard piece 3, this fourth piece being powdered with plaster of Paris and applied over the top of the third piece of monks cloth 6 after the latter has been coated with the thick latex. Thereupon, with an indelible pencil, the point of which has been made wet, I draw a line 8 on top of the fourth piece of monks cloth 7 conforming to the margin of the cardboard piece 3. Then I draw a second line 9, similarly, on top of the fourth piece of monks cloth 7 and about /2" inside the link 8, but located only about A" inside the line 8 opposite to the arch portion of the foot.

Now I paint the thick latex onto the entire area of the fourth piece 7 within the inner line 9 and I provide another, or fifth piece, of monks cloth 10 which, also, has a similar wide outer margin. This piece of monks cloth 10 is dusted with plaster of Paris and then applied over the entire area within the line 9.

Thereupon, I provide a body of finely divided mater'ials, such for instance as cotton flock that has been deoiled to provide a body of, preferably, pure cellulose, such for instance as that prepared for nitration in the production of nitrocellulose. Or, instead, I can use any other fibres, such as of wool, linen, rayon, kapok or milkweed, which have, preferably, been similarly purified. Or, I may even use for this purpose ordinary absorbent cotton which has, preferably, been cut into short fibres, for instance A" long. Or, I can even use old tags which may have been washed, but which need not, however, even have been washed, but which have been dried and cut up into similar small pieces or lengths.

For this purpose I may even use any other finely divided materials, such for example as wood flour. This body of finely divided material is then mixed with the thick latex to the consistency of a wet mud, which may, for instance, be of the kind described in detail in my application Ser. No. 58,470 above referred to. This mud is then formed into a marginal packing or luting 11 all around the margin of the shoe between the layers 10 and 7, as shown in Fig. 3, the mud being worked into place in anydesired way, for instance with the aid of a spatula or a kitchen knife, while the foot rests on the fifth piece 10.

The foot is now rested on top of the fifth layer of monks cloth 10, care being taken to place the foot accurately thereon so that the margin of the foot conforms to the margin of the cardboard piece 3. 7

Now, some of the thick latex is coated onto the margin or edge of the foot all around the same and the marginal portion of the fifth layer 10 is folded up closely around the foot, some of the wedge-shaped portions formed thereby being snipped ofi with a scissors from said fifth piece 10, in order to make the marginal portions of the latter fit together, edge to edge, around the perimeter of the foot on the wet latex which is carried by the margin of the foot.

Then, with the aid of a spatula or kitchen knife, the packing 11 of mud or of cellulose and latex is forced around into the crevices beneath the margin of the foot so that the said mud 11 is caused to occupy a position, preferably, with a vertical outer face or a face inclined downwardly towards the foot somewhat, all around the margin of the foot between the fifth piece 10 and the fourth piece 7. The mud 11 will readily adhere to the adjacent fabrics as the latex in the mud will wet the adjacent surfaces of the monks cloth pieces 10 and 7, but if there seems to be a little dryness while this is being done, some additional latex can be applied to the surfaces adjacent to the mud ll, the thick latex being preferable.

In this manner the outer surface of the fifth layer 10 and the inner surface of the fourth layer 7 will become thoroughly wet with the latex. Also, it will be understood that the marginal portions of the layers 7 and 10 contain the plaster of Paris which has been dusted onto the same previously. Thereupon, the fourth piece 7 isbrought up all around the margin thereof onto the outer face of the margin of the fifth layer 10 and pressed onto the same with the fingers all around the foot, a few wedge-shaped portions resulting therefrom being snipped off around the margin of the fourth layer 7 to bring about a correct fit between the adjacent meeting edges of the same. It is generally found suflicient to take out a couple of such wedge-shaped ships, with a scissors, at the heel and a couple of similar wedge-shaped snips at the toe portion of the fifth layer 10, and, similarly, a like number of ships may have been previously taken out from the heel and toe portions of the fourth layer, as above referred to.

It is important to note that the presence of the monitor sheet, preferably a non-shrinking stiff piece, such as the cardboard 3, or other similar material, such for instance as leather, is very effective in determining and maintaining the outer edge of the shoe, as this prevents distortion of the shoe margin while the layers 7 and 10 are being applied over the margin of the foot, and being allowed to set, also, similarly in the subsequent setting of the plastic materials.

The product thus produced is then allowed to partially gel or set for about to minutes, which can be aided by using an electric fan, if desired. Then, the partly formed shoe is loosened from the foot lightly, with the aid of the fingers, and the foot is now taken out of the weight-bearing dish 12 thus formed.

The margin or wall around the dish is then trimmed oifall around the upper margin of the same so that the remainder thereof forms a rim 13 about /2" high, as

shown in Fig. 4, but preferably slightly higher at the top portion 14 and slightly lower at the instep portion 15. Then the foot is put back into the dish 12 and the margin thereof is pressed closely against the foot all around the same, the materials of the dish still being somewhat soft, after which the foot is again removed therefrom, the elasticity of the materials permitting any slight resultant spreading of the edge of the dish'and causing the return thereof of its form before spreading.

The latex present in the dish materials is then allowed to set in circulating air for about 12 to 24 hours after the foot has been removed. This completes the first stage of making the shoe. The piece of cardboard 3, or other similar comparatively stiff material, is not only important in preventing distortion in forming the dish on the foot, but what is even more important, prevents any substantial shrinkage while the materials are setting during the period of gelling or setting when drying. Consequently, it is not necessary to follow the previous shoe making practice, requiring the shoe to be distinctly longer than the foot for relative adjustment of the foot and shoe as to length.

Thereupon, in the second stage, the foot is put back into the dish 12. A heel piece or strip 16, Fig. 5 of any desired fabric or cloth, as monks cloth for example, from 1 to 1 /2 wide, is then applied over the back of the foot vertically up to the top of the shoe and extending over the rear margin of the dish 12, after having been dusted with plaster of Paris, and after having applied the thick latex to the rear or heel of the foot and to the rear portion of the wall or margin of the dish 12.

Now, the thick latex is painted over and around the entire outer surface of the wall or margin of the dish 12 and over the entire heel piece 16. Also, an overall sixth piece 17, Fig. 6, of monks cloth, oversized to cover the whole top front, sides and back of the foot, is powdered with plaster of Paris and applied over the foot down to the floor over the wet latex on the wall margin of the dish 12, and is worked in against the cardboard piece 3 with a knife. Then the entire lower margin is trimmed oif to remove all excess fabric below the cardboard 3.

Then, I apply two other dusted cover pieces, that is to say a seventh piece 18 and an eighth, piece 19, substantially like the cover piece 17, successively over the thick latex-coated top of the adjacent fabric faces and applied like the piece 17, except that, as shown in Fig. 5, the meeting edges of the cover piece 19 end in a joint at the middle of the heel whereas the meeting edges of the cover pieces 17 and 18, respectively, are located at the right and left of the middle line beneath the cover piece 19. In other words, the meeting edges of the respective three cover pieces 17, 18, and 19 are slightly staggered.

These three cover pieces 17, 18, and 19, that is to say the sixth, seventh, and eighth pieces of monks cloth,

-- are preferably applied in the following manner: The

Whole top of the sixth piece 17 is powdered with plaster of Paris and the whole surface thereof is then coated with a first coat of thick latex to seal off the fabric pores or interstices, but not in a sufficient amount to penetrate through the sixth cover piece 17. This coated layer can now be subjected to a current of air to some extent by means of an electric fan, if desired. This effectively seals oif the inside of the shoe so as to leave the same clean ultimately, especially if, during the above treatment, the latex is allowed to gel for about 5 minutes. Then there is applied another second coat of thick latex all over the outside of the shoe on the sixth cover piece 17. Then, there is applied to the same the seventh layer 18 of monks cloth, after having been previously dusted with plaster of Paris, which is pressed down on the thick latex which is still wet, that has been applied all over the surface of layer 17. The latex is now allowed to gel for about 5 minutes. It will be understood that the back seams of each'of said layers 17 and 18 will be trimmed off as they are applied, to locate the meeting edges thereof staggered, as described above and as shown in Fig; Thereupon, the eighth layer of cloth 19 is prepared, which preferably is made of terry cloth, that is to say having a loose weave with a loop-shaped pile; this layer 19 having been previously dusted with plaster of Paris. The whole outer surface of the shoe is then coated with thick latex and while wet the said eighth piece 19 is applied all over the shoe and the rear edges are trimmed off so that the meeting edges thereof occupy the middle line, as shown in Fig. 5. The resulting lay''f's on the shoe are allowed to gel or set for from 5 to 1' iiiinutes.

Now, a line 20 is drawn, with the indelible pencil, from a point opposite to and in the direction of the big toe along the upper crown of the foot all the way to the top of the fabric layers thereon. With a curved scissors, the said line 20 is cut all the way through the layers of the shoe. Now, the foot is carefully removed from the shoe, by inserting a dull knife wherever necessary, between the shoe and the foot but so as to avoid deforming the shoe. Then, the lowermost margins of the layers of fabric are accurately trimmed off all around the lower edge of the shoe.

Thereupon the two edges made along the line 20 are wet with the thick latex, and while supporting the said two edges from beneath, for instance with a knife, the said edges are pressed down with the fingers until they adhere together and the shoe is now allowed to set for about 12 hours in order to dry. Then, powdered plaster of Paris is applied all over the outside of the shoe with a brush or from a woven fabric bag containing the same.

The entire outer surface of the shoe is thereafter treated so as to coat the same with the thin latex, preferably with a brush, in order to make a coating down to the base of the pile of the terry cloth 19 but not so as to saturate the fabric. This is allowed to set for about 48 hours, preferably with air circulation.

However, instead, if the shoe is to be worn with a heavy wool sock, as in very cold climates, before the said thin latex is put on the outside of the shoe, the foot is placed in a thick sock and the foot with the sock thereon, is placed in the shoe and the thin coat above referred to is put on the shoe with the front edges of the shoe held together by a stitching. Thereupon, the foot is removed from the shoe and the shoe is allowed to set as above, for about 48 hours.

With the indelible pencil a line 21 is now made around the top of the shoe, indicating the position of the final upper edge of the shoe and having a curved indentation 22 on the inside portion of the shoe and a deeper curved indentation 23 on the outside of the shoe, opposite to the ankle joints. Also, said line is made with a rear indentation 24 opposite to the Achilles tendon, which rear indentation 24 extends up to about the level of the muscle which is connected to the Achilles tendon. The upper portion of the fabric is then cut off along the said line 21. Also, at the front of the shoe there are strips 25 and 26 cut off at either side of the line 20, about A" wide, to make a parallel-sided interval 27 open at the front and joined together with a tapered end 28. With a punch, a number of holes 29 are now made on the opposite sides of said cut-out portion 27 for receiving a lacing 30 of any desired kind, which may be inserted now or any time later when completing the shoe. No eyelets are necessary because of the toughness of the resulting coated fabrics.

Then the stiff monitor piece of cardboard 3 preferably is pulled off from the bottom of the shoe to avoid the presence of the stiif layer in the sole, a knife being used if necessary to pare off any residual strips of the cardboard 3. However, it is to be understood that, if desired, this monitor layer 3 may be allowed to remain, although it is not as advantageous to do so, in the completed shoe, and that it may be made, instead, of any other similar stiff or hard non-shrinking material, such for instance as leather. By this time, before the cardboard 3 is ready to be removed, the shoe will have set sufficiently so that 6 shrinkage of the shoe is substantially completely obviated.

Further layers of an outer sole 31 may now be made on or applied to the shoe. These may, for instance, be comprised of three or four layers of terry cloth, such as layers 32, 33, 34 and 35, the same being applied by dusting the respective layers and coating with thick latex the areas of the layers on which the dusted layers are to be received in applying each of the terry cloth layers 32, 33, 34 and 35 to the shoe in succession. The shoe is now suspended by means of a wire with two hooks entering any one of the pairs of holes 29 so as to hang the shoe; by means of the wire, from any convenient hook while the liquid latex from the sole 31 is allowed to drip, if necessary, during the period while the latex in the layers 32, 33, 34 and 35 is being allowed to set. This setting and dripping may be continued for about 12 hours.

When the setting and dripping has continued for about that length of time a sock is put on the foot and the foot, with the sock, is inserted in the shoe. The shoe for the other foot is also put on in a similar manner and the wearer should now walk in the shoes, in the house, for at least a few minutes in each of a plurality of occasions within a period of about ten days. However, walking outside of the house is not advisable during this period as during the said period the material, in the course of setting, may be subjected to undue wear as a result. By the end of the said ten days, however, the shoe will have been finished and ready for wear generally, outside the house, etc. In order to expedite the completion of the shoe, instead of waiting for the ten days period of setting, the shoe could be worn in the house for five days in a current of air and then subjected to heating in an oven, at a temperature of about F., for about five hours. However, the shoe should not be cooked in the oven earlier as otherwise shrinkage might occur.

As a result, a unitary integral shoe of fabric and cured rubber or artificial rubber is thus obtained quickly.

Furthermore, if desired, the shoe may be made still more quickly after the 12 hours drying of the shoe while being suspended on the wire, by filling the entire shoe with plaster of Paris while the opening 27 is maintained closed with a piece of adhesive tape such as Scotch tape or other covering and allowing the plaster of Paris to set, which takes place in about 10 minutes, followed by heating the shoe in an oven to about 200 F. for from 6 to 12 hours. This procedure will prevent any appreciable shrinkage of the shoe during the quick setting of the latex in this way. Thereafter, the cast of plaster of Paris can be broken out and the interior of the shoe cleaned by brushing it with a rotary power-driven brush.

It is not deemed necessary to have the usual tongue provided beneath the shoe lacing 30.

Of course, the shoe can be made into any final shape, such as a sandal, or may have any portions cut out therefrom, as for example by punching holes through the upper wherever desired, to produce any desired style of shoe.

The shoe can be covered all over the same with an outer layer of leather in place of the terry cloth 19, and can have patches or scraps of leather or fabric applied to form the final layer 19, or the outer layer of the shoe can have any desired colors or metal powder applied thereto. In use, the shoe produces, as a result of the molding and the wearing thereof, the usual pyramid 37 and the toe recesses 38 formed thereby at the innermost front of the interior, when in use, support the ends of the toes, and, in a similar way, all of the internal margin of the shoe acquires a curved outline 39 by the making thereof as well as the use thereof, due to the walked-in shaping thereof, to correctly fit the foot, both as to upper and sole.

While I have described my invention above in details I wish it to be understood that many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the same.

I claim:

1. A shoe of set plastic materials, said shoe being provided with a plastic enclosure for completely covering the top and lower portion of any particular foot, said enclosure including an upper of set plastic in a woven material as well as having a separate lower portion to the side face of which the upper is secured, said lower portion having the shape and not less size of the actual foot perimeter on which it is intended to be worn.

2. A shoe comprising a plastic enclosure for encasing any particular foot, said enclosure containing a concave dish of set plastic materials with sides and a lower portion of set plastic materials having the shape and not less size of the actual foot perimeter on which it is intended to be 8 worn, with fabric on the outer lateral portions of the dish, said dish having adherent with the outside thereof a foot cover for positioning over the top of and conforming to the foot surfaces, and a sole adherent with the bottom of the dish.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

